Receive the latest national-international updates in your inbox

Officials at the National Zoo and residents of Washington DC react to the sad news that the 6-day-old panda cub at the National Zoo died this morning. Darcy Spencer reports (Published Sunday, Sep 23, 2012)

Updated at 10:41 AM EST on Monday, Sep 24, 2012

The National Zoo said Sunday that its giant panda cub - a joyous surprise when born last Sunday - has died.

The Zoo confirmed the death in a statement late Sunday morning.

Zoo Officials Discuss Panda Cub Death

"Panda keepers and volunteers heard a distress vocalization from the mother, Mei Xiang, at 9:17 a.m. and notified the veterinarian staff immediately," the statement read, in part. "The panda cam was turned off and the staff were able to safely retrieve the cub for an evaluation at 10:22 a.m. Veterinarians immediately performed CPR and other life-saving measures but the cub did not respond."

Dennis Kelly, the zoo's director who referred to the death as "extremely devastating," elaborated on the scene at a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Pandamonium!

The latest on the new panda cub -- and what it means for the National Zoo. Erika Gonzalez reports. (Published Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012)

"[Mei Xiang] got up and moved from where she was holding the cub and made a honk. The keepers and scientists tell me that a honk was an unusual sign to make, and we surmised that it was a distress call."

The zoo statement went on to say that the unnamed cub was in good condition and showed no outward sign of trauma or infection.

Adorable Zoo Babies: Polar Bear Cubs

"It was just beautiful," said the zoo's chief veterinarian, Suzan Murray. "Beautiful little body, beautiful little face, the markings were beginning to show around the eyes. [The cub] could not have been more beautiful."

Murray expressed the hope that a preliminary necropsy on the cub would be completed by Monday. Kelly said that the zoo's panda exhibit would be closed "until we are confident that Mei Xiang is safe and healthy."

The cub was unexpectedly born at 10:46 p.m. on Sept. 16. It was the second cub born to Mei Xiang.